Final cleanup method for former Rich Oil Station site approved

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has approved a final cleanup method to address environmental conditions at the former Rich Oil Station on Ohio River Road in Huntington. The site is currently vacant.

Scott Hutchison Enterprises Inc., negotiated a Voluntary Remediation Agreement with the WVDEP in November 2006 to begin addressing environmental issues at the former service station location.

The site is comprised of approximately 1.083 acres of property. Site activities previously conducted included the operation of a retail gasoline station. The former Rich Oil Station had three 10,000 gallon underground storage tanks (USTs) and two dispenser islands supported by a small station attendant building and detached restrooms. Corrective actions undertaken at the site include the 2004 removal of the former UST system.

A combination of both institutional and engineering controls has been selected as the final cleanup method to achieve the goal of cost-effective protection of human health and the environment. Institutional controls will include prohibition on extraction and use of groundwater except for the purpose of groundwater monitoring and remediation. Engineering controls will consist of vapor barriers and control systems for enclosed buildings on the site. A final report will be submitted to the WVDEP to confirm that the work meets all applicable remediation standards.

This project falls under the state’s Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act. The VRRA encourages voluntary clean-ups of contaminated sites, as well as redevelopments of abandoned and under-utilized properties, in the hope of counteracting the lack of growth on sites with contamination or perceived contamination.